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[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/4057383091_cd7ee2b3eb_m.jpg[/img]

On May 4, 2007, a tornado touched down for a whopping 22 minutes in Greensburg, Kansas. The small town in the southwest corner of the state is a mere 1.7 miles wide, but the twister left a path of destruction two miles across, engulfing 95% of the town’s roads, buildings, businesses and homes.

Nearly two and a half years later, this same town showcased its avowed commitment to rebuilding “better and greener” with the groundbreaking ceremony of the 12.5-MW John Deere Wind Farm. Although just one of “Greensburg Green Town’s” many endeavors to rebuild in a sustainable way, this particular project illustrates a steadfast dedication and cooperation on behalf of local, state, and federal governments, private business, and citizens.

The John Deere Greensburg Wind Farm consists of ten Suzlon turbines, which will produce enough electricity to power 4,000 homes – satisfying 100% of the electricity needs of the citizens of Greensburg. Kansas Power Pool made its second wind power purchase agreement with the Greensburg project, allowing residents to acquire their electricity directly from the wind turbines in their backyards. This Farm will also help Kansas surpass its statewide renewable electricity standard of 10% by 2011 and it puts them on track to reach 20% renewables by 2020.

Vice President of John Deere Renewables, Dave Drescher, called this Farm “the most special community wind project” at the ceremony last Friday, and I couldn’t agree more. This community transformed a devastating incident into an opportunity not only for innovation and creativity, but also to exemplify the strength of the human spirit. The residents of Greensburg have willingly chosen to lessen their carbon footprints and in doing so, have created a new culture of environmentally aware and engaged citizens. It’s no wonder that President Obama called this town a “global example” in his very first address to Congress.

Greensburg has much to be proud of in celebrating the groundbreaking of this wind farm and its residents should be similarly commended for their resiliency and tenacity in creating a “green” paradigm for other towns around the world.

[b]By Anyah Dembling[/b]

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There was a bright spot on transmission today: the Obama Administration produced a memo of understanding (MOU to the wonks) that will streamline decisionmaking on siting new transmission on federal lands.

This is very significant because much of the new transmission is needed in the West, where most federal lands are. and because federal agencies don’t usually cooperate without many meetings and studies. As a result, lengthy delays in obtaining permits from federal agencies to build transmission lines across federal land are a major barrier to accessing the country’s best renewable energy resources.

AWEA CEO Denise Bode voiced enthusiastic support. “The wind industry applauds the Obama administration for recognizing the need to address transmission barriers and enacting a measure to improve the speed and ease with which transmission can be constructed across federal lands. This MOU is an important step towards putting more of our abundant renewable energy resources to use, powering American homes and businesses with clean, domestic sources of energy while creating thousands of high-paying jobs here in America,” she said.

But this is not the only action needed, Bode suggested. “The policy announced today is an important complement to legislative measures that have been proposed in the Senate to update policies that govern how transmission is planned, paid for, and permitted. Investment in our grid has lagged because our transmission policies have failed to keep up with changes in the electric sector, like the growing need to access renewable energy resources…We urge Congress, the Administration, and state and federal regulatory authorities to take further action to streamline transmission permitting processes and implement broad transmission cost allocation policies.”

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Transmission remains the single biggest obstacle to realizing the full potential of wind and other forms of renewable energy. The latest proof of this thesis is a decision announced late last week by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The case involved two utilities and several wind generators in the Midwest, and the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO), the independent entity established by FERC to regulate transmission in a broad area of the Midwest.

The wind generators wanted to connect to the grid, to deliver power to their customers. The companies that operate the transmission in that region, Otter Tail Power Co. and Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU), a subsidiary of MDU Resources Group, wanted the wind companies to pay almost all the costs for the transmission improvements needed to carry the extra electricity. But the wind companies (and AWEA) argued that since other power generators would benefit from the grid improvements, the costs should be spread more broadly among MISO’s users.

MISO, the grid operator, and FERC, which oversees MISO, sided with the utilities. Their decision–announced quietly late on a Friday afternoon– illustrates the crux of the “cost allocation” issue that has been a stumbling block for transmission improvements: new transmission infrastructure for wind and other renewables can only be built if the costs are allocated broadly among all transmission users. But getting that accomplished is difficult, if not impossible, under the existing rules (and players) of the game.

AWEA’s Rob Gramlich, senior vice president for public policy, expressed the frustration felt by many in the wind industry, especially since there were less drastic solutions available for solving the problems faced by Otter Tail, and MDU. “This decision is baffling. How did we go from a problem for just two small utilities to a region-wide policy that hinders the transmission investment and renewable energy development that all four Commissioners say they want? It is not hard to guess what cost allocation plan the anti-transmission utilities in MISO will continue to push.”

He added, “At some point FERC and the states will need to exercise some leadership,” and noted that in its ruling last week, the FERC commissioners said their decision was an “interim approach” and that MISO was working on a new cost allocation system that they hope to unveil next year.

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Anti-wind groups have been on the attack in Europe, questioning the accuracy of wind use statistics, especially in those countries where wind is making a significant contribution–like Denmark. In response to recent attacks about its practice of exporting wind-generated electricity to its neighbors, the Danish government’s wind agency published this comment in a local newspaper:
[quote]In reality part of the wind energy is ‘stored up’ in Norwegian and Swedish hydro-electric reservoirs and returned to the Danish consumers at other times. The Nordic electricity trade benefits all electricity consumers in Northern Europe.

Wind power is exported at market prices in line with all other forms of electricity and the revenue from the electricity trade is shared between Denmark and the recipient country. The average selling price for wind generated electricity was 0.04 to 0.07 DKr./kWh less than the selling price on electricity generated by centre and local cogeneration plants in the period 2005-2007. Consider this to be the price of storing wind power at the Nordic hydro-electric plants. That we would be giving the electricity away is a misapprehension.

Danish electricity consumers have supported wind power with an average of 1.3 bill DKr. a year from 2005-2008 corresponding to 0.035 DKr./kWh. For a household with an electricity consumption of 3.500 kWh this has meant an extra cost of 120 DKr. (≈ $24) a year – two or three times less than Weekensavisen claims using Sharman as source.
[/quote]

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The following correspondence received today from Michael Vickerman, Executive Director of Renew Wisconsin, a group that has been pressing the case for clean energy in that state for a number of years.

[quote]Greetings–

As you know, I believe that the PSC [Public Service Commission of Wisconsin] proceedings on Wisconsin Electric’s Glacier Hills wind project will generate much of the factual foundation for the forthcoming rulemaking on wind permitting standards. I would like to call your attention to testimony submitted by three expert witnesses hired on behalf of the applicant. These documents were filed this Tuesday. The witnesses are.

Richard Larkin – State Certified Real Estate Appraiser. His [url=http://psc.wi.gov/apps/erf_share/view/viewdoc.aspx?docid=121872]testimony[/url] rebuts CWESt property values “study.”

William Roberts – PhD in Epidemiology, Former faculty member with the Medical College of Wisconsin (Dept. of Preventative Medicine), former Oklahoma State Epidemiologist. His [url=http://psc.wi.gov/apps/erf_share/view/viewdoc.aspx?docid=121871]testimony[/url] discusses Nina Pierpont’s “research” and rebuts CWESt’s acoustical consultant.

Geoff Leventhall – acoustical consultant, PhD in Acoustics. His [url=http://psc.wi.gov/apps/erf_share/view/viewdoc.aspx?docid=121870]testimony[/url] discusses low frequency noise and rebuts CWESt’s acoustical consultant.

Even though these filings take the form of rebuttal testimony, they can stand on their own. You need not read the filings they rebut in order to make sense out of what they’re saying. Of all the documents I’ve read over the years that address wind energy impacts on human health and property values, this group of submission is the strongest IMO. The value of these documents to future wind development in North America is inestimable.

These filings will be entered into the record when the technical hearings begin on November 2nd.

Michael Vickerman
RENEW Wisconsin
Wisconsin Wind Working Group
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
www.renewwisconsin.org[/quote]

To paraphrase Harry Truman, we don’t give the anti-wind folks hell–we just tell the truth, and they think it’s hell.

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[b]Guest blog by AWEA’s Kathy Belyeu[/b]
At the fall conference of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY), the mood was mixed – a feeling of success in having 1,275 MW of wind installed in NY– several years ago, NY had only 48 MW of wind energy–together with some apprehension about what it will take to fulfill the state’s renewable and climate change goals.

The good news is that a decision on additional funding and program changes is expected before the end of the year. And the state’s Assistant Secretary for Energy, Kimberly Harriman, made it clear that the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) continues to have the strong support of Governor Paterson.

NY has an RPS target of 25% by 2013, which the Governor wants raised to 30% by 2015 to track more closely with his energy efficiency goal of 15% by 2015. The RPS target includes existing hydro (although it doesn’t receive RPS financial support) so the target is approximately 6.5% for new renewable generation, taking into account load growth and other exemptions. The RPS is administered by the State energy authority, which issues 10-year contracts for Renewable Energy Credits.

New York does face significant challenges including the need for more transmission and a streamlined siting process, both of which were addressed by the conference speakers. In addition, the RPS needs an infusion of cash, stronger state agency support, and some program changes to make it a more market-based system. ACE NY and its members are actively engaged in efforts to support the RPS and wind energy development.

The conference featured keynote addresses by Gil Quiniones, COO of the New York Power Authority and Kimberly Harriman, NY Assistant Secretary for Energy. In addition, a group of smart grid transmission and supply chain experts, including representatives from the US DOE, National Grid, the Long Island Power Authority, BP Solar, AWEA, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, made presentations.

The state also is seeing interest in offshore wind development and solar energy, although most renewable energy advocates and wind developers strongly believe that onshore wind resources offer the greatest short-term potential and are more cost effective.

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On October 19, the Institute for Energy Research (IER), an anti-clean energy group that produces bogus research aimed at derailing US policy away from clean, renewable sources of energy, struck again. This time the target was Germany, a global leader in wind energy; an earlier IER attack trained its falsehoods and flawed methodology on Denmark.

The latest IER attack is focused on Germany’s “feed-in tariff,” a system used outside the United States to encourage the development of renewable energy. Their [url=http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/2009/10/19/proceed-at-your-own-peril-new-study-critical-of-german-green-experience/]report[/url] is called, “Economic impacts from the promotion of renewable energies: The German Experience.” The report asserts that the feed-n tariff “has failed to harness the market incentives needed to ensure a viable and cost-effective introduction
of renewable energies into the country’s energy portfolio.”

IER’s strategy clearly is to discredit wind energy in other countries at a time when the U.S. industry is growing, and U.S. policies are still being developed. This report goes so far as to include a state-by-state US map showing how much a German-style feed-in tariff would increase electricity costs in each state. The problem is that the United States is not considering a feed in tariff as a means to encourage wind development because it would not work. Instead, the US is considering a free-market based national Renewable Electricity Standard, and numerous studies have shown that an RES would decrease electricity prices.

Previous IER reports have been discredited by prominent international organizations and think tanks. You can find our responses to the earlier incorrect report [url=http://www.awea.org/newsroom/real_story.html]here[/url]. But pushing back with facts the facts so far has not deterred IER’s disinformation campaign, and we expect them to take on other countries that have successfully integrated wind into their energy mix. Stay tuned.

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Pessimism may be overrated, at least in the case of renewable energy. Despite the recession and other factors, AWEA’s Third Quarter Market Report shows the wind industry is continuing to grow. But new manufacturing facilities are lagging.

“Over 1,600 MW of new wind power capacity was brought online in the third quarter of 2009.” the [url=http://www.awea.org/publications/reports/3Q09.pdf]report[/url] said. So far, in 2009 the industry has installed over 5,800 MW of new wind power, which is more than was added in the first three quarters of 2008.

However, it is already clear that the fourth quarter of 2009 will not equal 2008’s 4th quarter boom, when more than 4,000 MW were added, bringing the 2008 total to 8,358 MW.

The report said, “A major driving factor in the higher numbers of wind project development is the federal stimulus bill passed early this year.” The legislation provided grants as a temporary replacement for the production tax credit, which was not attracting investors because of the sagging economy. Other factors cited in the report are “state policies, attractive wind project economics and possibly the expectation of action on climate change.”

AWEA CEO Denise Bode said, “Wind power installations are up, and that is good news for America’s economy, environment, and energy security. But manufacturing, which has the potential to employ many more Americans in good, clean energy jobs, remains uncertain. A firm, long-term national commitment to renewable energy is still needed for the U.S. to become a wind turbine manufacturing powerhouse and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.”

AWEA is working to persuade Congress and the Obama Administration to include a strong renewable electricity standard in any energy package passed this year.

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Last year, Congress asked the National Academy of Sciences to examine energy from a different angle–namely, to assess the external or hidden costs of energy use and production. As NAS explained, it was asked to examine “what economists call external effects caused by various energy sources over their entire life cycle — for example, not only the pollution generated when gasoline is used to run a car but also the pollution created by extracting and refining oil and transporting fuel to gas stations.”

The [url=http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12794]report [/url]concludes that “potential damages associated with wind turbines are small compared to those associated with coal and natural gas as electricity sources.” In addition, it noted that “Aggregate land-use effects considered over the entire life cycle are not significantly larger at present than those for other generation types, especially if one considers that in some cases former land uses can continue between wind turbines.”

In recent weeks, some critics of renewable energy have warned of “energy sprawl” because of the land-use requirements of wind farms. However, as the NAS report hints, much of the land used for wind farms can continue to be used for agricultural and other uses once construction is complete.

The report also said, “Societal damages associated with the killing of bats by wind turbines are currently small by comparison with the aggregate damages associated with electricity generation by coal, natural gas, and the sum of all other sources.”

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[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2674/4026791011_7e4c22f357.jpg[/img]

On a bright and windy day, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) and others gathered to flip a switch and symbolically commission a Siemens 2.3-MW (generates enough electricity to serve the equivalent of 700 homes) [url=http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS173949+19-Oct-2009+PRN20091019] wind turbine[/url] at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo. On hand for the event were Ritter, representatives of DOE and NREL, and AWEA VP for Public Affairs Sarah Howell, who snapped the photo above.

Howell told the crowd of about 75, “Today, we see the fruit of great teamwork between the pubic and private sector, with the National Wind Technology Center joining with Siemens to invest in this 2.3-MW pilot wind turbine. Over the next three years, they will undertake the largest wind turbine test program to ever have been shared between U.S. government and industry. The expected outcome of this program is to lower the cost of wind-generated electricity through improvements in blade aerodynamics.

“The Department of Energy is supporting additional aspects of the wind energy industry as well. In February of this year, when Congress passed and President Obama signed the Recovery Act, the Department of Energy was authorized to develop loan guarantee programs – one of which was $750 million specifically for commercial renewable energy technologies – and a new $2.3 billion investment tax credit program for manufacturers. Both of these programs are open for applications now, and are allowing our members to keep installing new wind farms, adding and expanding manufacturing facilities, and hiring new employees, despite these hard economic times.

“On behalf of the over 2,500 member companies of the American Wind Energy Association, I applaud Siemens and DOE for their investment in this turbine and the overall testing program, and I thank them for their collaboration on wind energy research and development.”

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